Albanian weightlifter Hysen Pulaku has become the first athlete to be ejected
from the Olympics after testing positive for an anabolic steroid.

The International OlympicCommitee said Pulaku tested positive for a banned steroid, stanozolol, on July 23, and that a backup "B" sample had now confirmed the result. Stanozolol is an old, relatively cheap and easy-to-detect drug which is designed to mimic the effects of the male sex hormones testosterone and dihydrotestosterone.

The announcement came a day after Albania dropped the 19-year-old, who was due to compete in the 77-kg category, from its weightlifting team over doping suspicions.

"Of course it is always a sad day when a cheating athlete is caught," said IOC spokesman Mark Adams. "I hope there will not be more."

His personal coach and uncle, Sami Pulaku, said neither he nor Pulaku denied the presence of the steroid and that the decision would not be contested.

Two Turkish lifters have also been dropped by their federation at the last minute after failing doping tests.

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Weightlifting has a troubled history when it comes to doping. Despite attempts to clean up the sport, several top competitors have tested positive in recent years, including former Olympic and world champion Nurcan Taylan of Turkey and Liao Hui, the 2008 Olympic champion in the men's 69-kilogram class. Both are serving doping bans and will miss the London Games.

The weightlifting competition begins Saturday with the women's 48-kilogram category.